Theo establishes the Misfits Club, but initial applicants are rejected for not truly being misfits. A student named Eryn, who tames plant-type beasts, is interviewed. Eryn reveals his beast, Planopy, can drain life energy but is considered weak and fragile by others. Theo, recognizing the beast's potential and Eryn's insecurity, accepts Eryn into the club.
A week has passed since.
“Hah! The ninth master from the Merricks family has secured another victory!”
“How long has it been since he joined this tournament?”
“Three days!”
“Silence! The next match is about to begin in mere moments. If you continue yapping, I’ll flatten your skull.”
Currently, a multitude of spectators occupied a coliseum-style arena. Though not exceptionally grand, it offered ample space to host approximately two thousand attendees.
At its core, a compact battlefield was situated, perfectly sized for two combatants to unleash their full might.
On one side stood a second-year student, his blond hair meticulously styled.
He was clad in the standard academy uniform, yet its superior tailoring clearly indicated a custom fit.
A look of utter frustration was visible on the second-year student’s face as he gazed at the individual opposite him. However, beneath that, a hint of apprehension flickered in his eyes when observing his opponent.
Theo, opting for the academy-issued standard leather armor instead of his uniform, faced an opponent who audaciously appeared with only his uniform for protection.
“You may commence now,” a man at the side declared, raising a blue flag. He served as the match’s referee.
The second-year student’s head began emitting a bright glow as a beast materialized before him.
Upon witnessing the student’s summoned beast, the crowd surged with exhilaration.
Theo observed the creature intently, making a mental note of its features.
It bore a striking resemblance to a colossal armadillo. Its difference from a common armadillo wasn't solely its immense size; it possessed grayish scales, appearing so robust that the beast could presumably curl into an impenetrable sphere.
This creature stood well over five feet tall, its body broad and heavily muscled, radiating an aura of formidable toughness even from a distance.
Theo’s gaze shifted slightly, and he noticed the eyes of the man holding the blue flag glow a vibrant red.
In the following instant, a subtle sheen of light enveloped Theo, the second-year student, and the armadillo-like beast.
Theo advanced deliberately, drawing his sword.
The crowd’s roar intensified the moment Theo’s blade slid free from its scabbard.
This uproar escalated further when a transparent aura became visible, shrouding the sword.
Nearby professors began jotting down notes while observing the contest. Meanwhile, the man positioned at the center simply watched the arena unfold with a serene smile.
This individual was none other than the Headmaster.
The second-year student mentally issued a swift command to his armadillo-like beast.
With a guttural roar, the beast charged towards Theo, who continued his calm advance, his blade shimmering with an inner light.
As the armadillo gained momentum, Theo mirrored its acceleration, demonstrating that despite its apparent smallness from above, the arena still provided sufficient distance for the fighters before their engagement truly began.
Theo adjusted the angle of his blade slightly to the right, gripping it with both hands.
This posture facilitated a swifter run, and the sword felt considerably more stable than usual.
The charging armadillo seemed unfazed. While it was somewhat bewildered by facing a human instead of another beast—an uncommon occurrence—it appeared more than ready for the confrontation.
At the precise moment the armadillo lunged, Theo shifted his body aside and took a step back, narrowly evading the path of the attack.
The second-year student watched in utter disbelief as a mere human effortlessly dodged the colossal armadillo’s claws as if it were routine.
Theo recognized the correctness of his decision. While the armadillo possessed superior speed in a straight trajectory, its agility in lateral movements was noticeably inferior.
With his sword still enveloped in its aura, Theo thrust it forward in a straightforward slash, allowing the protective field around the beast to register the impact.
And just as the aura made contact with the rapidly advancing armadillo, the protective coating around it flared brilliantly for a fleeting second, releasing a potent wave of pressure.
Theo was momentarily propelled into the air before landing gracefully back on the ground.
Meanwhile, the beast appeared completely stunned, its gaze fixed upon him.
“One of the three allotted attacks has been expended by Theo Merrick,” the man with the glowing red eyes announced, shifting the flag towards Theo’s side, though Theo himself was not positioned there.
The armadillo glanced at the flag, as if finally comprehending what had transpired.
Another thunderous roar reverberated through the arena as the armadillo lunged at Theo once more. This time, after building considerable speed, it abruptly rolled forward, transforming into a literal ball before hurtling towards Theo.
Theo bent his knees and casually leaped skyward, ascending nearly ten feet off the ground.
The crowd erupted in an even more colossal uproar, while the second-year student could only stare, now utterly astonished.
The armadillo, having rolled past Theo as he began his descent, sprang upward as if possessing sight even in its spherical form. It returned to its normal shape mid-air, flipped around, and once more darted towards Theo.
Theo landed swiftly, and the armadillo charged at him two more times. Theo managed to evade both assaults with effortless grace.
However, on the third attempt, the armadillo seemed to have adapted, closing the distance with greater speed before unleashing a strike with its scaled tail towards Theo.
Theo merely leaped backward, twisting his body at an angle, allowing the tail to narrowly miss him.
A vein throbbed on the second-year student’s forehead, his expression still etched with disbelief.
Meanwhile, the armadillo remained locked in its intense focus, pressing its advance.
It was then that Theo sighed, once again infusing his sword with aura. He slashed at the armadillo, unleashing the same overwhelming pressure that had previously forced him back.
This time, Theo did not hesitate.
The moment his feet touched the ground, he executed a hyperjump with all his might, launching himself towards the armadillo in a blur of motion.
To students below level 5, it appeared almost as if he had teleported. However, more experienced spectators could still track his trajectory.
Theo drove his sword towards the armadillo’s neck. The beast desperately attempted to evade, but its fundamental weakness was clear: Theo’s attacks were swifter than its reactions.
The pressure emanating from the armadillo's defensive coating this time was potent enough to blast Theo several meters back before he could finally re-establish his footing.
The referee on the sidelines spoke once more.
"Three attacks out of three have been made by Theo Merrick."
He moved the flag towards Theo’s side two more times, granting Theo a brief respite before he raised his sword again, this time without the aura.
The blade was aimed directly at the second-year student, and Theo met his gaze.
The armadillo remained motionless, as if sensing the match's conclusion. Yet, beneath that stillness, its body quivered slightly.
It had just endured a lethal strike aimed at its neck, surviving only due to the referee's intervention.
The second-year student slowly raised his hands in surrender.
Theo slid his sword back into its sheath before turning towards the frenzied crowd.
He noticed a group of older girls leaping and cheering as if at a concert, while the male spectators roared with adrenaline-fueled excitement.
"The winner isssssss Theo Merrrick!" the announcer bellowed.
Finally, Theo's vision cleared, and he felt a soft dissipation of energy around him.
He stepped aside to allow the arena cleaners to prepare for the next bout, for which he was thankfully not scheduled.
Instead, Theo shifted his focus towards the individual instrumental in orchestrating these events.
The headmaster met Theo's gaze but offered only a smile. It was as though he was maintaining a public facade, distinct from his demeanor when they were alone in his office.
Theo understood this.
Shortly thereafter, he spotted Clara and Elias awaiting him on the other side, accompanied by another boy.
A newfound confidence radiated from the boy's expression, prompting a grin from Theo.
Eryn was maturing as an individual, and Theo felt a genuine happiness witnessing it.
"My next fight might be in a day," Theo announced the moment he rejoined them.
But he continued, not stopping there.
"And finally... I might actually get to fight a third-year student."
Now standing before the trio, Theo could not contain his smile.
He was eager to confront stronger opponents, and even more so for the prospect that one day, among these rising challenges, he would finally face a formidable adversary capable of unleashing the mantis's full potential.
It was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain control over it during the arena battles.
